4 Migrants Drown in English Channel Crossing Attempt

Four migrants tragically drowned in the English Channel overnight while attempting to reach Britain from France, as confirmed by French maritime authorities.

The incident occurred off the northern coast of France near Boulogne-sur-Mer.

French navy patrols responded to reports of migrants in distress in the water. Upon arrival, they recovered the bodies of the deceased and rescued 63 others from the sea.

Earlier this year, the UK's Office for National Statistics reported a significant decrease in illegal immigration.

Between March 2023 and March 2024, authorities documented 38,546 illegal entries into the UK, marking a 28% decline from the previous year.

Notably, 81% of these entries were made through small boat crossings across the Channel.

The former Conservative government, led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, attributed this decline to stringent measures, including plans to deport illegal immigrants to Rwanda.

These measures also targeted relatives of foreign students and healthcare workers.

However, newly elected Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to scrap the Rwanda deportation plan, criticizing it as ineffective and asserting that it failed to deter illegal crossings.

Responding to these developments, Rwandan officials noted the UK's decision to terminate their migration and economic development partnership, emphasizing that the issue primarily concerns the UK rather than Rwanda.